What is the most effective way to visualize and communicate reproductive health data and policy recommendations?

The North Carolina Department of Administration and NC Council for Women are seeking assistance to: (1) produce county-level analysis and visualizations of women's reproductive and maternal health indicators in North Carolina and (2) collaboratively develop communication materials that will increase the visibility and salience of policy recommendations to decision-makers. DOA and the Council explicitly seek exploration of innovative formats and designs for engaging state policymakers and raising public awareness of reproductive health disparities.

This project would run alongside and complement a forthcoming Status of Women in North Carolina report, produced by the nonprofit Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) in partnership with DOA’s Council for Women. The Council is a Governor-appointed advisory body that informs DOA and the Governor's Office on policy matters affecting women across the state.

The upcoming report will focus on women's reproductive health, including indicators such as maternal and infant mortality, drawing primarily on national datasets with comparisons to peer states.

What the Status of Women report will not cover — and what this project would incorporate — is county-level data that highlight geographic hotspots and demographic variation in reproductive and maternal health indicators within NC, using data that the NC Department of Health and Human Services holds and makes publicly available through its Maternal and Infant Health Data Dashboard.

Deliverables will be used by the Council for Women and DOA to enhance the rollout and public communications around the findings and policy recommendations in the Status of Women Report (e.g., in press materials, policy briefings, etc.). Ultimately, this project is intended to boost awareness of reproductive and maternal health issues and disparities at the county level, which is of critical importance to understanding reproductive health challenges and designing tailored solutions in a state with high levels of rural/urban and racial/ethnic inequality.

DOA is seeking short-term, pro-bono assistance. This project could serve as a student project for course credit.

DHHS’ Division of Public Health holds data on a variety of maternal and infant health indicators. Aggregate data at a county level is publicly available through the Vital Statistics Reports and Maternal and Infant Health Data Dashboard.

• Policy analysis, data analysis, and data visualization
• Science communication or policy writing — translating findings for a non-technical policy audience

Helpful but not required:

• Public health or epidemiology — familiarity with maternal and reproductive health metrics and data sources
• Web and graphic design